Cabinet structure



p 1958 J. E. HARRIS, JR 2,854,308

CABINET STRUCTURE Filed Au 6, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOJZfi/f [/IAZ HAM/WI MA.

BY 4M4 Unite d.

Patented Sept. 30, 1958 CABINET STRUCTURE Joseph Earl Harris, Jr., Southhampton, Pa., assignor to Philco Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 6, 1956, Serial No. 602,241

7 Claims. (Cl. 312306) This invention relates to translatable article support means, and more particularly to means for raising and lowering so-called elevatable cabinet structure. While of broader utility, apparatus embodying principles of this invention is especially adapted to support an elevatable cooking oven.

In the design of home appliances of the built-in type, convenience problems have been encountered. For example, cooking ovens of this type when installed in permanent cabinet structure have been disposed above the adjacent working surfaces generally associated with the present day kitchen cabinet structure, in order that a user of the oven need not be unduly inconvenienced when handling food to be removed from or placed in the oven. Often in permanent oven structure of this type, needed working surfaces are sacrificed. In order to overcome this latter difiiculty it has been found advantageous to install an oven of the built-in type at a lower level and to provide upon the upper surface portion thereof a working surface that readily blends with adjacent work surfaces, and, in order that an oven so constructed might be made more readily accesible, there has been associated therewith suitable means operable to raise or lower the oven, selectively, within predetermined and convenient limits. However, mechanical tolerance problems are involved in the elevating mechanism, and it has been found difiicult, when the oven is in its lower, or at-rest position, to insure flush mounting of the oven top with adjacent work surfaces, particularly since the heights of work surfaces have been found to vary for various reasons.

It is therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide novel means for accommodating adjustment of translatable article support means in order to insure return of the support means to a predetermined rest position.

It is another object of this invention to provide novel means for adjusting the height of an elevatable cabinet in its at-rest, or lower position.

It is still another object of the invention to provide novel means associated with the elevating mechanism to insure return of an elevatable oven to a predetermined lower position.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in association with elevatable range structure including elevating mechanism for the same, adjustable means for insuring return of the structure to a predetermined rest position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide in elevating drive apparatus novel means for disengaging elements of said apparatus.

Still another object is to provide, in elevatable oven apparatus of the aforesaid type, simple and reliable cantilever support means for an oven.

It is also a feature of the invention that novel linkage means is associated with unitary elevating mechanism adapted for use with elevatable cabinet structure whereby positioning adjustments of the cabinet may be made independently of the said mechanism.

In accordance with the foregoing and other objectives a preferred embodiment of the i'nventioncomprises a movable cabinet or oven member slidably mounted upon fixed support structure including fixed vertical posts, or runways. Suitable motor means is provided to drive a vertically disposed rotatable screw adapted to co-act with a nut means, the nut means being secured from rotating by a suitably adapted portion of the movable oven member whereby rotation of the screw causes the nut to be urged axially against the oven member in such manner as to impart the desired vertical movement to the oven. The movable oven member is provided with adjustable stop means adapted for releasable engagement with suitably presented portions of the fixed support structure, whereby to fix the height of the oven in the desired rest position. It is a feature of this invention that the nut means is disposed for releasable engagement with the oven member in the lower rest position 'of the latter in such manner that the nut means disengages the oven and continues in a downward path after the oven stop means engages the fixed support means.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objectives of the invention may best be achieved will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective showing of an elevatable oven made in accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, but showing the elevatable oven in its uppermost position and with its door open;

Figure 3 is a somewhat enlarged view, in rear elevation, of the oven shown in Figure 2 and disclosing in detail mounting means for the former;

Figure 4 is a view, in side elevation, of oven structure shown in Figure 3, with parts broken away, and looking generally in the direction of line 4-4 thereof;

Figure 5 is a view, on a somewhat larger scale, showing certain operational features of the elevating apparatus illustrated in Figure 3, with the oven in its lower position; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, and showing an additional operational feature.

Now making more detailed reference to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention com- I prising elevatable box-like cabinet structure 10 in which there is housed an oven 11 of known design and including closure member 12. Cabinet 10 is supported upon suitable base or framing means 13 for vertical movement, as will be hereinafter fully described, to positions as shown. Disposed atop the cabinet structure, and serving as the top wall thereof, is work surface 14. Carried by and disposed atop the base means 13 is horizontal extension 15 adapted to form a portion of the aforementioned work surface when the cabinet structure is in its lower position (Figure 1). Closure member 12 is of conventional design, being hingedly mounted upon a pair of hinge members 16 at its lower corners, and is equipped with a handle 17 of conventional design.

Now referring to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown elevating means 21 carried by base means 13 and adapted to provide both support for and vertical reciprocable movement of cabinet structure 10. Elevating means 21 includes means defining vertically disposed column-like parallel guide rails or runways 22 mounted at each of their ends upon upper and lower channel-like members 23 and 24, each carried by upper and lower portions of framing means 13, respectively. Carried by rails 22, and disposed transverse thereto substantially in the same plane, are upper and lower cross members 25 and 26. Journalled for rotational movement within channel mem 3 bet--23 and cross'mem'ber 25, as at 27 and 31 respectively, is a vertically disposed lead screw 32. The lower end 33 of lead screw 32 extends below cross member 25, and attached thereto by known means is pulley 34 adapted to be driven by reversible motor 35 'mounted upon lower cross member '26 and channel member 24, by suitable means'35a (Figures 3 and 4), with its shaft 36 disposed parallel to lead screw 32. Carried by the upper portion of motor shaft 36 is pulley 37; there is provided between'pulleys 34 and 37 drive-belt 38 adapted to transmit rotational movement from motor 35 to lead screw 32. 'Threadedly mounted upon lead screw 32 is nut 41 (Figures '5 and 6), comprising parallelly disposed vert-ically extending faces 48, the nut being restrained from rotational movement, as will be hereinafter more fully described, while screw 32 rotates to impart-axial movement to the aforementioned nut. 'Elevating means 21 for the cabinet furthercomprisescantilever-like carriage or movable support structure 42 including horizontally disposed parallel support members 43 extending beneath, and-supporting, cabinet 10. Attached to front portions 44 of members 43, and in substantially the same vertical planes, are compression members .45 extending transverse, and downwardly from, horizontal members 43. Attached to, and extending vertically downwardly from inwardly spaced portions 46 of members 43, are columns 47, and the lower ends 51 of the latter are attached to compression members 45; extending rearwardly and parallel to-support members 43, from lower ends 51 are extensions 52 of compression members 45. Serving to rigidify structure 42 is offset cross brace 53 attached to lower portions'54 of'columns '47, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. Structure 42 is further characterized in that the rearwardly disposed portions of members 43 and extensions52 .carry bearing members 55'and 56, respectively, of suitable material, preferably of the material known as nylon. Each of the bearing members is adapted to slidably engage guide rails 22 and as seen in Figure 4 the bearing members 55 engage rearwardly presented portions of rails 22, and members 56 engage forwardly presented portions thereof; in this construction the vertical guide rails react with upper and lower bearing members to exert substantially horizontal and opposite forces in opposition to the moment of force resulting from the load applied to the structure,42, inthis instance the weight of the cabinet 10. Adaptedfor releasable cabinet supporting engagement withupwardly presented face 49 (Figures 3, 5, 6) of the nut is rearwardly extending thrust plate 57 attached .by its upturnedffiange portion 57a.to the lower. rear portion of cabinet 10, and at ends 58 to rearwardlydisposedportions of, members 43; fur

ther,.plate 57-has .an open-ended slot- 61 adapted for registry with lead screw 32, theconstruction and arrangement being such that theupper face of the nut releasably engages portions of the .plateadjacent the aforementioned slot, thereby proviiding for releasable support of the cabinet. Attached .to the bottom surface of the cabinet by leg portions 63, are channel members 62, each disposed parellel to horizontal members 43, and having web portions 64 confronting one another andslidably engaging vertical faces 48 of nut 41, whereby to restrain the latter from rotation and .still permit axial movement of the nut relative to the aforementioned web portions, as seen in Figure 5. Threadedly attached to lower leg portions 65 of members 62 are levelling screws 66 having end portions 67 adapted for releasable abutting engagement with cross member 25, thereby providing stop means for the cabinet 10, as well as means for adjusting the height thereof with respect to adjacent fixed structure.

There is further provided suitable electrical circuitry (not shown) which includes manually operable switch 71 (Figures 1, 2, 3) and suitable upperand lower limit micro-switches 72 and 73 of known design. Suitable cam surface 74 is so. disposed. as tooperably engage either limit switch whereby predetermined upper and lower limits of oven travel are effected. Switch 71 is preferably of the push-button type, there being included therein circuitry associated with a plurality of actuating buttons B providing for manually deenergizing motor 35, or bringing into energization that circuitry required to effect forward or reverse operation ofsaidmotor in order to raise or lower the cabinet structure, as will be hereinafter more fully described. Additional electrical circuitry for oven heating (not shown) includes combined selective temperature and on-0E control means 75 disposed in removable panel 76 carried by movable cabinet 10 and enclosing the lower portion of the mechanism compartment is front panel 77 affixed to stationary base member 13.

Turning now to operation of the apparatus disclosed, and assuming the cabinet 10 to be in its uppermost position as shown in Figures 2 and 3, it is seen that nut 41 is disposed toward the upper end of lead screw 32 and, by virtue of the abutting relation of its upper surface 49 to thrust plate 57, serves to support the cabinet in said position. Now referring to Figure 1, it is seen that cabinet 10 has been lowered, for example by operating the lower selector button B, and-there is shown in Figure 6, the conditions prevailing the instant support of cabinet 10 is transferred from nut 41 to end portions 67 of levelling screws 66 as said portions are lowered into engagement with cross member 25. Additionally, prior to or at said instant, cam 74 operably engages lower limit switch 73 and thereby deenergizes motor 35, following which the motor continues to rotate along with screw 32 so long as inertial forces within the rotating elements prevail. As seen in Figure 5, and in particular accordance with this invention, nut 41 has travelled downwardly and out of its abutting engagement with plate 57. Conversely, in order to raise cabinet 10, upper button B is operated, whereupon rotation of the motor is initiated. While the motor overcomes its inertial starting forces under substantially noload" condition, nut 41 is moved upwardly, from the position shown-in Figure 5 until such time as it engages plate 57 (Figure 6) and thereafter elevates cabinet 10 into its desired-position,-for example into its uppermost position shown in Figures 2 and 3. If desired, the cabinet may be halted at any position intermediate the upper and lower limits (see broken lines, Figure 1) by operating the manual deenergizing or center button B.

It is'seen, therefore, that the invention provides novel structure whereby deenergization of the motor in the course of the lowering operation need not take place at the instant of engagement of end portions 67 with cross member 25; instead, lower limit switch 73 may be actuated prior to engagement of the stop means if desired, the elevating nut continuing in a downward path independent of the movable support. Thus, in consideration of novel structural features of the invention as set forth above, it will be now understood that provision of this novel linkage betweenmovable structure and its motor means enables'a variety of adjustments in the positioning of the movable structure, without need for complicated adjustments of the motor means.

It is contemplated that desired elevation in an at-rest, or lower position of the oven may be attained by merely adjusting the downwardlypresented levelling screws 66 whereby to raise or lower the height of the work surface 14, for example with respect to surface extension 15. This adjustment may be made either with the unit in place or prior to installation; adjustment while in place is accomplished by merely noting the adjustment required While the cabinet is in its lower position, then raising the cabinet to its uppermost position (Figures 2, 3, 4),-removing the-movable access panel 76, and finally making thenecessary adjustments on levelling screws 66. 'Still further, inasmuch as the height of extension 15 may also require adjustment with respect to adjacent fixed structure, known means may be provided for raising or lowering the same, for example suitable spacers may .be inserted between extension and base means 13. Also, it is contemplated that extension 15 may be formed integrally with adjacent work surfaces. However, it is to be understood that these and other modifications may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. Elevatable cabinet structure comprising: cabinet means; movable support means for said cabinet means, said support means being adapted for vertical reciprocable movement to establish a plurality of positions for said cabinet means including a lower rest position; fixed structure including guide means for said support means; rotatable screw means; motor means adapted to rotate said screw means; nut means carried by said screw means and slidably engaging said supporting means, the construction and arrangement being such that rotation of the screw means causes the nut means to travel in a vertical path supportingly to engage the cabinet to raise or lower the same; and stop means adapted releasably to engage said fixed structure in the lower position of the cabinet means, said nut means in response to engagement of the stop means, being movable vertically downward along the screw means out of supporting engagement while maintaining the mentioned sliding engagement with said cabinet means.

2. In cabinet structure, stationary apparatus, movable apparatus provided with a compartment and disposed adjacent said stationary apparatus, and means mounting said movable apparatus for movement into a plurality of positions, said last named means comprising: guide rail means carried by said stationary apparatus; rotatable screw means carried by said stationary apparatus; reversible motor means carried by said stationary apparatus and cooperable with said screw means to rotate the same in opposite directions, selectively; nut means carried by said screw means and being slidably engageable with said movable apparatus and movable along said screw means and into releasable supporting engagement with said movable apparatus while slidably engaged therewith to move the same in the direction of movement of said nut means; and adjustable stop means including elements adapted for releasable engagement, said elements being carried by said movable and stationary apparatus to halt movement of said movable apparatus, the construction and arrangement being such that said nut means moves out of supporting engagement with the movable apparatus while maintaining slidable engagement therewith and following engagement of said stop means.

3. In elevatable cabinet apparatus: movable structure including cabinet means; fixed structure including guide track means cooperable with and efiective to accommodate movement of said movable structure between predetermined positions including a lower rest position; rotatable screw means; motor means adapted to drive said screw means; nut means carried by said screw means slidably engaging said movable structure whereby to prevent rotation of the nut means and accommodate movement of the latter along said rotatable screw means, said nut means being further adapted for releasable supporting engagement with said movable structure and effective to raise or lower said last named structure; and stop means including elements each carried by said movable structure and said fixed structure and adapted releasably to engage one another in the rest position of the cabinet means and accommodate supporting disengagement of said nut means from said movable support means, while maintaining the mentioned slidable engagement of the nut means therewith, upon interengagement of said elements.

4. Apparatus for efiecting reciprocable vertical movement of a movable member, said apparatus comprising: framing means; an elongated screw-threaded shaft rotat ably mounted upon said framing means; motor means adapted to efiect rotation of said shaft; movable carriage means carried by said framing means and supporting said member; nut means carried by said threaded shaft, slidably engageable with said carriage means to prevent rotation of the same while said shaft is rotating, and adapted for releasable axial engagement with said carriage means for moving the carriage means axially of said shaft as the latter is caused to rotate; and stop means effective to halt movement of said carriage means and the supported member, the construction and arrangement being such that said nut means moves axially along said shaft out of axial engagement with said carriage means while maintaining the mentioned sliding engagement as movement of said carriage means is halted.

5. Translatable article support means comprising: guide track means; carriage means associated with said guide track means and adapted for movement thereon; rotatable screw means; means associated with said screw means and threadedly engaged therewith for axial movement, while maintaining slidable engagement with said support means, as the screw means is rotated, said threadedly engaged means also being adapted for releasable supporting engagement with said carriage means to impart movement to the same while maintaining the mentioned slidable engagement therewith; and stop means adapted to halt movement of said carriage means while said screw means is rotating, and providing for supporting disengagement of said threadedly engaged means from said carriage means to accommodate continued rotation of said screw means.

6. Apparatus for mounting cabinet structure for vertical reciprocable movements comprising: column means; carriage means mounted upon said column means for vertical movement thereon; rotatable screw means; a thrust plate extending from said carriage means and having a slot disposed in registry with said screw means; channel means extending transverse said screw means, said channel means having a web section disposed in a substantially vertical plane and an upper flange portion in contact with said thrust plate; nut means threadedly engaging said screw means and having lateral portions slidably engaging the mentioned web section of said channel means whereby rotation of the nut means is prevented and axial movement of the latter is accommodated as the screw means rotates, said nut means further having a horizontal surface portion adapted for releasable supporting engagement with said thrust plate to cause vertical movement of the carriage means; and stop means associated with a lower flange portion of said channel means and effective to halt movement of said carriage means while said screw means is rotating, said nut means being disengageable from said thrust plate while slidably engaging said web section as said stop means becomes eflective.

7. In elevatable cabinet structure, comprising a cabinet, carriage means for supporting said cabinet, guide means for said carriage means, motor driven screw means disposed adjacent said carriage means, nut means provided on said screw means, said nut means having an upper carriage means-engaging surface adapted to support the carriage means, and means extending from said carriage and slidably engaging lateral portions of said nut means to prevent rotation of the nut means while said screw means turns to cause movement of said nut means along the screw means and into supporting contact with the carriage means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,644,545 Robertson Oct. 4, 1927 2,065,952 Trautrnann Dec. 29, 1936 2,342,742 Loeb Feb. 29, 1944 2,377,873 Finizie June 12, 1945 2,446,693 Davis Aug. 10, 1948 2,678,859 Zuzzi May 18, 1954 

